Syrian forces join with ISIL fighters in Syria in the fighting in Hasaka, Khuraytan, Tal Brak, Tall Hamis, and Tall Ma`ruf against Kurdish fighters along a front that is currently hewn by ethnicity and geography.

These areas are populated by Kurdish people whom have recently been challenged by the combined force of the Syrian military and ISIL together.

Most significant in this is the timing of this first of the occurance of Syrian forces and ISIL working together. It has been announced that military operations against Mosul are underway; with several preliminary goals having already been reached. Mosul is where a significant number of reports of ongoing abuses such as rapes and executions have reached responsible reporting outlets. A major military force operating in the areas listed would serve to 'tie down' a potentially substantial number of fighters, making them unavailable on the Mosul 'front'.

Secondly, an alliance or other working arrangement between Bashar al-Assad and the ISIL forces (which everyone watching wondered on the eventuality of); such an alliance if proven to be true, would substantially change the current foreign policy formulas for many.

Bashar's timing might be considered bad in this instance as the American Republican party now controls both the United States House and Senate. This means that he's made his move at a time when the only thing that stands between him and the wrath of US conservative legislators (who truely don't like him) is president Barrack Obama. And we already know where his head is at on this. It's a case of screwed if you do and screwed if you don't. Fact's seem to indicate that he already did.

You must be logged in to make comments on this site - please log in, or if you are not registered click here to signup